VERIZON WIRELESS CORPORATE CLASSIC 5K ON THURSDAY
Well over three thousand runners and walkers have registered for the Verizon Wireless Corporate Classic 5K taking place on Thursday in Morristown. If they all finish, they will surpass the 2006 numbers by close to one thousand participants.
This is the seventeenth year for a corporate race in Morristown, but only the second year for this race. When the original corporate sponsors dropped Morristown, along with several other races around the country, Verizon Wireless picked it up, and pardon the pun, they ran with it. Obviously they have been hugely successful.
The new distance of 5 kilometers, which is 3.1 miles, may have appealed to those who felt too challenged in attempting to run 3.5 miles, the previous distance. It doesn't sound like much, but those four kilometers may have been the break point.
Another factor might be at work as well, according to Verizon Wireless Head Coach Mark Monteyne. Monteyne, is responsible for bringing over 800 company competitors to the race this year, and can proudly boast of Verizon Wireless' unsurpassed record of seventeen consecutive wins in the team participation category.
"We're really trying to publicize the walking," said Monteyne. "It's more of a walking versus a running event. It's more family oriented. We're actually having strollers and baby joggers."
Strollers and baby joggers are usually not allowed but the race has been given the go-ahead by the insurance company. This could be called late breaking news. Those who might have checked the race website earlier and recall seeing strollers and joggers banned can now plan to bring their children with them to participate.
To aid those in the-back-of-the-pack, coaches from other Verizon Wireless fitness centers from around the country will be scattered among the walkers. Some of the coaches will serve as pacers. They will have signs designating their pace per mile such as 15 minutes, 17 minutes and 20 minutes per mile.
"We'll be concentrating on the people who don't really race," said Monteyne, "the average person who will be able to cross the finish line."
All of the participants will have their times recorded, using a computer chip embedded in their race bib. Race results will reflect each runners chip time, as opposed to the gun time. In a race with such significant numbers, this is greatly appreciated by those who cannot cross the start line for several minutes.
In keeping with the theme of participation not competition, no age division awards will be given out, although the results will be posted on the Verizon Wireless race website, www.verizonwirelessclassic.com. Results will be posted but only the top three will be recognized and given an award.
Last year's race was won by Adam Ambrus of Shamong in 15:50 with Heather Gardiner of Franklin Lakes taking the women's race in 18:40.
Ninety-four men's teams finished with three or more participants in 2006 while sixty-six women's teams scored. Ambrus ran for MetLife Investments, but his team placed out of the top three. That honor went to Stryker Orthopaedics, Verizon Wireless, and Schering Plough. The women's team title was won by Citigroup, followed by Schering Plough and Stryker Orthopaedics.
With a race the magnitude of the Verizon Wireless Corporate Classic, you could say it takes a village. More precisely, the Morristown police and department of public works are being counted on to handle traffic control.
The water stop which stretches for yards and yards along Mills Street is manned by the Lakeland Junior Track and Field League. The young athletes also handle the goodie bag distribution after the race.
The Morris County Striders running club supplies course marshals who stand at each street to stop motorists who might otherwise blunder onto the course. They also carry cell phones to be able to call for help if a participant needs medical assistance.
The Parsippany Troy Hills cross country team assist with placing barricades and cones to redirect the traffic flow along the course.
Team captains have been stopping at the Running Company store on South Street in Morristown the past few days to pick up their race packets. Individuals may still enter the race, but only in-person at the store. On Thursday individual entries will be accepted from noon until 6:00 p.m. at the registration tent at Headquarters Plaza Pioneer Park just north of the Morristown Green on Speedwell Avenue.
Participants and spectators should allow for traffic delays getting into Morristown, due to the high number of entrants to the race.
Originally published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey on Sunday, July 16, 2007
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2007
